Match-holding lighter



June 24, 1952 w, PORTER 2,601,455

MATCH-HOLDING LIGHTER Filed Feb. 18, 1949 Patented June 24, 1952 .UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE Burl W. Porter, Wilmington, Calif.

Application February 18, 1949, Serial No. 77,140

2 Claims. (Cl. 294-99) This invention relates to an improved springtype match-holding lighter.

It is an object of thisinvention to provide a spring-type match-holding lighter of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter in which a match may be clamped for lighting burners and the like, the holder being so constructed and arranged whereby the supporting rod of the holder will constitute a clamping jaw of the clamp securing the match on the rod.

Another object of this invention is to provide a match-holding lighter which is formed of a minimum number of cooperating parts required for obtaining the desired purpose, thereby providing a lighter which may be readily manufactured and assembled at a low cost.

Yet another object of this invention is to pro vide a device of this kind which is readily formed of an elongated rod and a short length of flat spring material, the rod and spring being formed for interengagement and cooperation to form a resilient clamp on one end of the rod for securing a lighted match thereon for lighting oil burners and the like.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in 1 the drawings ad specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a match-holding device constructed according to an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view; I Figure 3 is a front elevation of the matchholding device, taken substantially on the line 3 -3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse section, taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top plan-view of the forward end 'of a modified match-holding device;

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the forward end of the modified form of the match-holding device shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of a second modified form of match-holding device, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 8 is a transverse section, taken on the line 8-8 of Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally a match-holding device or lighter for holding a match to ignite oil burners and the like. The match-holding lighter I0 is formed with an elongated rod II and a short length of flat, resilient material, as a flat spring I2, secured on one end thereof.

The rod 1 Iis formed with an elongated, cylindrical shank I4, the forward end of which is flattened to form a forwardly-extending, flat jaw member I5. The rear end of the rod II is 2 looped upwardly at the rear end thereof to form a looped handle I6 forholding the lighter. At the forward end of the shank I4, where the rod II is pressed to form the forwardly-extending jaw member I5, the rod is tapered to provide forwardly-converging walls I! and I8. The walls I1 and I8 provide an abutment for limiting the sliding movement of the resilient member, to be hereinafter described, when it is applied to the jaw member I5. An upwardly-extending lug or upturned end I9 is fixed to or formed on the inner end of the resilient member I2 and is engageable in a transverse slot I9a on the lower side of the shank I4 rearwardly of the forwardlyinclined wall I1 between the shank and the jaw member, for retaining the resilient member I2 in position on the jaw member I5.

The resilient member I2, as noted above, is formed of an elongated flattened spring or other suitable resilient material, and is formed with a rectangular opening 20 transversely thereof at the rear ends thereof. A jaw 2I'is formed on the forward end of the resilient member I2 by striking a portion of the spring out from adjacent the front end thereof. As the jaw 2I is struck outwardly from the body of the resilient member I2, a rectangular opening 22 is provided at the forward end of the resilient member I2 immediately abovethe jaw 2|. I

The resilient member I2 is assembled onto the rod II by sliding the rear opening 20 over the jaw member I5 and rearwardly over the lug I9. Normally, the combined area of the lug I9 and the jaw member I5 is greater than the opening in the opening 20, but the rear end of the resilient member I2 may be forced over the lug I9 so that the lug will restrain the resilient member I2 against sliding movement off of the jaw member I5 unless sufficient force is applied. The resilient member I2 is then bowed along the length thereof so that theforward end of the jaw member I5 will engage through the opening 22. The jaw 2I is adapted to engage the lower surface of the forward end of the jaw member I5 in the manner of a spring clamp for clamping a lighted match on the forward end of the rod II. As the resilient member I2 is bowed along the length thereof and is retained in its bowed condition, normally biased to clamping engagement of the jaw 2| with the jaw member I5, the rear end of the resilient member will flatly abut the lower downwardly and rearwardly-inclined surface l8 on the forward end of the shank I 4.

In Figures 5 and 6, there is shown a modified form of this invention, wherein the match-holding lighter is formed in substantially the same manner as the lighter I0 described above, but a slight modification in the form of the rod and the means for securing the resilient member to the rod is provided. The match-holding device 25 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is formedwith a cylindrical shank member 21, which is slightly tapered to av reduced diameter at the rear or handle end thereof. A flat, forwardly-extending, clamping jaw member 28 is formed on the forward end of the shank 21 in substantially the same manner as the jaw member I described above. However, the jaw member 28 is formed on the extreme forward end of the shank 21, and the forward end of the shank 21 is substantially disposed within the limits of the resilient member 29 engaged thereon.

The resilient member 2-9 is formed in substane tially the same manner as the resilient member l2 described above, but a ferrule 30 is formed integrally with the rear end thereof. An opening 3| is formed on the rear end of the flat, bowed portion of the resilient member 29, so that the shank 21 may freely engage therethrough.

The ferrule 39 is formed as a longitudinallysplit sleeve formed from the rear or inner end of the flat, resilient member 29. -The ferrule 3|] includes cooperating side arms 32 and 34 which are rolled upwardly for engagement about the sides of the shank 21 intermediate the length thereof, the inherent resiliency of the spring metal from which the member 29 is formed providingthe clamping engagement of the arms 32 and 34 with the shank 21. The ferrule may be securely attached to the shank 2! by spot welding one or both of the arms 32 and 34, the spot Weld being indicated by the numeral 35 in Figure 6.

The main body portion or length of the resilient member 29 is bowed in substantially the same manner as the resilient member l2, described above, and a jaw 36 is struck from the forward end thereof. By striking the jaw 36 from the forward end of the resilient member 29, a rectangular opening 31 is formed at the forward end, and the forward end of the rod which'includes the shank 21 and the jaw member 28 is freely extended through the opening 31. As noted inFigure 6 of the drawings, the forward end of the shank 21 reaches into the opening 31, but the clamping member 29 is disposed forwardly thereof and the jaw 36 clampingly engages the flat jaw member 28 for securing a match therebetween.

In Figures '7 and 8 there is shown a second modified form of this "invention, wherein the match-holding lighter is indicated by the numeral 40. The lighter 49 includes a cylindrical tapered shank 4| and an elongated, fiat jaw member 42 formed on the forward end thereof. A resilient clamping member 44, formed substantially in the same manner as the resilient member 29 described above, is engaged over the forwardly-extending jaw member 42. A ferrule 45 is formed integrallyv with the inner or rear end of the resilient member 44 and is adapted to engage about the shank 4| at the forward end thereof. The jaw member, 44 extends forwardly from the forward end of the shank I4 and.v only the jaw member 42 is engaged within the resilient member 44. An opening 46 is formed in the rear end of the resilient member 44 and the rear end of the clamping member 42 is engaged therethrough. A jaw 41 is formed on the forward end of the resilient member 44 in substantially the same manner as the jaw 36 described above, and the forward end of the jaw member 42 is engaged through an opening 48 for clamping engagement with the upper side of the jaw 41.

The ferrule 45 is formed of a pair of side arms 49 and 59, and an opening 5| is formed on the lower side of the ferrule between the arms 49 and 50. A lug 52 is fixed to or formed integrally with 4 the forward end of the shank and is adapted to be engaged within the opening SI for securing the ferrule 45 against sliding movement along the length of the rod 40.

A looped handle 54 is formed on the rear end of the shank 4| to provide a firm grip in holding the match-holding lighter.

In applying the resilient member 44 onto the match holder 49, shown in Figures 7 and 8, the forwardly-extending jaw member 42 is initially engaged between the arms 49 and 50 of the ferrule 45 and engaged through the openings 46 and 48. The ferrule is then moved rearwardly for frictional, resilient engagement about the forward end of the shank 4| until the lug 52 is engaged within the. opening 5|.

The resilient members I2, 29 and 44, described above, are bowed along the length thereof and as they are formed of resilient material, they are biased to an extended position. However, the biased extension of the resilient members is such that the tendency of the resilientmembers. is not to be extended into a straight line, but into an arc of a greater diameter than the are required for resiliently pressing the jaws 2|, 36 and 41 into clamping engagement with the forward ends of the jaw members I5, 28 and 42.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A match-holding, lighter comprising an elongated rod, a bowed resilient member arranged longitudinally of said rod inwardly of and spaced from one end of the latter and having. one end re mote from said. one end of said rod fixedly connected to said rod and being connected adjacent the other end to said rod for sliding longitudinal movement only during assembly of said bowed member with said rod, and a longitudinal extending jaw on the other end of said resilient member and engageable with the portion of said rod intermediate said one end of said rodand the slidable connection of said resilientmember with said rod for clamping engagement therewith;

2. A match-holding lighter comprising anelongated rod, a jaw member extending longitudinally from one end of said rod, a bowed resilient mem ber arranged longitudinally of said rod and having one end remote from said one end. of said rod fixedly connected tosaidrod andbeing'connected adjacentv the other endtosaid jaw member for sliding longitudinal movement only during assembly ofsaid bowed member with saidjaw member, and a longitudinally extending jaw on the other end of said resilient member and engageable with the portion of said, jaw member forwardly of the slidable connectionv of said. resilient member with saidjaw member for clamping engagement therewith.

BURLW. PORTER.

REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED ,STATES PATENTS Number 

